


Lights Out (What You Did In The Dark)

by Achilles_Heel



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Bellona (Percy Jackson) - Freeform, Gen, Hunters of Artemis (Percy Jackson), Original Character - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychological Torture, Revenge, Reyna Needs A Hug, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:55:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25363474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Achilles_Heel/pseuds/Achilles_Heel
Summary: This fic was based on a prompt from an anonymous Tumblr user. If any of y'all want to give me a prompt, my Tumblr account is @hopelessatmostvideogamesIt's been 98 years since the Second Giant War. Reyna has long since joined the Hunters, tracking beasts across the wild with Thalia and Piper, who joined shortly after Reyna. Orion is dead, but that doesn't mean Reyna doesn't fear him. She's all too happy to leave him in the past until she accepts a quest to recover something of his for the goddess Artemis.Artemis is confident Orion still isn't back from Tartarus, but the Fates have different ideas. And this time around, Orion does as well.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 23





	1. My Childhood Spat Back The Monster That You See

**Author's Note:**

> While this fic is set in the future, I will not be focusing on a bunch of futuristic things. 
> 
> You all should know that (not in this chapter, but in others) there WILL be graphic torture scenes. If things like this bother/trigger, please do not read this fic. 
> 
> As always, please enjoy.

“Artemis wants to see you,” Thalia informed her as Reyna emerged from her tent. Reyna frowned. “Did she say what it was about?” A direct summons from Artemis to anyone other than Thalia was rare. Thalia studied her. “No idea,” she admitted.

Reyna nodded and strolled across their make-shift-camp. On her way to see the goddess, she glimpsed Piper exiting her tent. Piper offered a warm smile, which Reyna returned briefly.  Reyna stopped for a moment. Her mind never ceased to be blown at how being immortal worked. It had been 98 years since the Giant War. Percy and Annabeth had died somewhere around 20 years ago, and everybody had gradually gone after that. 

Nico had passed the most recently, reassuring Thalia, Reyna, Piper, and Chiron that everyone had gone to Elysium. Nico went to his father’s palace.  Reyna was sad, but she knew what she had signed up for when she accepted immortality. Piper had known too, joining shortly after Reyna as the Hunters traveled east through Oklahoma. 

As she approached the head tent that belonged to Artemis, she heard her voice call out. “Come in.” Reyna pushed aside the flaps and entered, bowing her head she did so.  As usual, Artemis was sitting cross-legged and had one of her deer laying docile at her feet. She motioned for Reyna to sit, which she did. “My Lady,” Reyna began. “You wanted to see me?”  Artemis smiled at her. “I did. I know that when you praetor of Camp Jupiter, you went on multiple quests, all of monumental success. So my question to you is, would you be prepared for another one?”

Reyna stared at her. She hadn’t gone on a solo quest in years. She loved being a Hunter, exploring, and whatnot with Thalia and Piper, but she did miss how things went for the average demigod. Reyna realized her jaw was on the floor and quickly shut her mouth.  “I would, I suppose. May I ask what the quest is?” Artemis’s eyes danced with delight upon hearing Reyna’s answer. “I ask you to retrieve something important to me. Though it has been many years, I trust you remember the giant Orion?”

Reyna’s smile disappeared. “I do, my Lady. How exactly does this relate to what I am supposed to be retrieving?” If Artemis noticed her displeasure, she didn’t comment. “I need you to retrieve his bow.  I know that I would usually go to Thalia for a quest of this magnitude, but I have full belief in your capabilities, and I know that you have dealt with him before.”

“Has... he been regenerated?” Reyna hesitated. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she still did have some fears about the giant. She had been the victim of an attack before, but never had she been  _ hunted  _ like an animal.  “My sources tell me not. Usually, a being of his stature only reforms after a long while, and even then, monsters only return when they have something to do in this world. Are you prepared to leave today?”

Reyna nodded, not trusting herself to speak. “Excellent.” Artemis handed her some type of map that Reyna had no idea how to decipher but she tucked into the pocket of her parka. “Today is December 2nd. I trust you to be back before the Winter Solstice. Is that acceptable?”  Reyna swallowed her doubt. “It is, my Lady. I’ll be back far before that.” The goddess smiled softly and motioned to her that she could leave. As Reyna entered the cold December air once more, she took a deep shaky breath. 

She really hoped he wouldn’t be back. He had always had a prejudice against the Hunters of Artemis, but it didn’t help that he had something personal against her.  Reyna found Thalia and Piper laughing around a campfire, and they called her over for a moment. “What did Artemis want to talk to you about?” Piper questioned as she handed Reyna a cup of coffee that Reyna hesitantly sipped.

She sighed and set her coffee down. “I’m being sent on a solo quest to retrieve something. Or—Orion’s bow,” Reyna stammered out. Thalia’s eyebrows furrowed in an expression she didn’t quite like and Piper scooted closer to her, wrapping an arm around her.  “When do you leave?” Piper asked her. “Today. I’m supposed to be back before the Winter Solstice, but you guys can expect me much sooner than then. I should go pack now, I’ll be heading out soon.”

Reyna shot them a smile that reassured exactly no one as she walked back into her tent and began throwing her things together. She was frustrated, for sure, but as long as he wasn’t back, she thought it would be a relatively easy quest.  Reyna walked out of camp a few minutes later, setting out on a quest that she would come to recognize was a suicide mission. 


	2. Besides In The Meantime I'm Just Dreaming Of Tearing You Apart

December had never been one of Reyna’s favorite months. It was always cold, which she despised, but it was also the month in which she killed her father and she and Hylla had fled from San Juan.  Reyna stared at the barren trees as she walked. Hylla had died a while back, killed in battle. The funeral had been OK, she guessed. Of course, Hylla not dying was preferable, but she ran the risks. 

At this point, Reyna didn’t really have anyone to lose. There were pros and cons to that, she supposed. At least nobody could use them against you, but that left you more susceptible to direct attacks.  At last, it reached nightfall. She had been hiking the whole day through random forests and across snow-kissed plains. Reyna set up camp in the wilderness and under the stars, shuddering to herself as she saw Orion running across the sky, forever hunting his prey. 

Reyna snapped awake as she could’ve sworn she heard something prowling around her lean-to. She gripped her gladius (Artemis had one made for her, as she wasn’t completely comfortable with the Greek weapon designs most Hunters favored) and stepped out cautiously.  She looked out across the plain that was littered with deadwood and saw a wispy trail of smoke rising out into the night sky. Her breath caught as she noticed a few hulking shapes gathered around a small fire. 

Reyna delved back into her tent, strapping her hunting knife at her side and slinging her bow and quiver over her shoulder. She began her descent into the plain, her hand grasping her gladius so tightly her knuckles were white.  As Reyna neared her would-be enemies, she realized her mistake. The monsters she had spotted were some type of bending the Mist, and not actually present there. Her head whipped around to see her supplies go up in flames that illuminated the laughing faces of several cyclops. 

Reyna cursed. She was over a hundred years old, and she had still fallen for a simple decoy. She realized that she would still have to keep moving. She headed north, sticking to the shadows.  Reyna arrived at the crest of a large hill as the sun was rising. It had been less than a day, and her first quest in almost a century had crashed and burned. She saw a lake ahead of her and realized she would have to cross the lake. 

The thought didn’t exactly fill her with comfort. While Reyna may have been dressed in the silvery gear of a Hunter, she had always been more comfortable in Camp Jupiter’s gold and purple. At Camp Jupiter, all Legionnaires were taught to fear the sea. It was wild and unrestrained, its chaos chafing against the strict, reigned-in aspect of the Legion. S he knew it was a lake, but the matter was more in principle. She found a raft lying on the shore, which gave her the impression that this area had been inhabited not too long ago. 

Reyna would have wondered why the inhabitants had left, but she was already pretty sure she knew the answer. In a rural place such as this, mortals often died at the hands of monsters. As she boarded the raft, her stomach twisted wondering just how the humans had died.  She guessed it was some type of northern-dwelling giant, but Reyna hadn’t seen any in the area. While that was usually a better thing, it implied that they had been forced to clear out in deference to a larger threat. 

Reyna sighed and skipped a rock across the eerily still surface of the lake. She wondered how she was  even supposed to find Orion’s bow. The map Artemis had given her wasn’t exactly informative, but Reyna still wished she had it.  She hadn’t prayed to Bellona in ages, but since her mother had helped her with Orion the last time, it couldn’t hurt to pray to her this time around.  “Bellona, mother... I know that Hylla was always your favorite, but... I could really use your help. I don’t know what I’m really doing on this quest. I have no idea how to hunt down Orion’s bow.”

“Worry not, Roman.” Reyna’s heart went from beating as fast as Hermes to as stagnant. Orion grinned, though there was only cruel humour in it. The giant raised his massive black bow at her, and as he let loose an arrow, Reyna heard him speak. 

“You’ll come to understand that it is I who hunts things.” Then the arrow slammed into her and everything went dark. 


	3. So Light 'Em Up (I'm On Fire)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: things get graphic in this chapter. Do not read if it will cause a trigger.

The first thing Reyna awoke to was pain. As she struggled to regain her bearings, she quickly realized multiple things, none of them pleasant. First, a gag was in her mouth. She was on her knees, arms spread eagle-style, chained to opposing sides of the room.  She had been stripped of her weapons, parka, and shoes, left only in jeans and a T-shirt. Reyna’s bicep had been pierced; by Orion’s arrow, she guessed. A normal arrow wouldn’t have knocked her unconscious, so Reyna assumed it had been laced with something. 

The room was extremely bright, and Reyna knew she wouldn’t be able to get any sleep if she tried. She saw something that looked vaguely like a rack or a cabinet, but in her delirium, she couldn’t quite make it out.  Reyna didn’t like that. She suspected Orion had come back to earth for revenge, but she couldn’t be certain.  She assumed that she would still have technically completed the quest if she broke out of here with Orion’s bow and returned it before the Solstice. Assuming ‘here’ was a place that could be broken out of. She mentally slapped herself. There was  _ always  _ a way out. 

Reyna heard footsteps echoing near where she was. She mentally settled herself and pretended she was still unconscious, bowing her head and letting her arms go slack.  “Oh my,” Orion remarked. “How the mighty have fallen.” Reyna forced herself to remain impassive as the giant approached her and ran his finger along her jawline, before suddenly driving a fist into her stomach. 

Reyna cried out in pain, but it was quickly muffled by her gag. Orion studied her with sadistic satisfaction. The giant walked over to the rack in the corner of the room and selected a riding crop. Reyna’s stomach churned in anticipation, but she steeled her features into a glare that even Lupa would’ve been proud of.  Orion turned and surveyed her look, before rolling his mechanical eyes. They were the color of a rotting orange, and Reyna would’ve taunted him about it if not for the gag in her mouth. Orion sauntered toward her and she bit down intensely on the cloth. 

“You know,” he said nonchalantly. “I’ve tortured thousands of monsters, creatures of the Pit. Of course, I’ve slain demigods and humans before, but you know that. But I’ve never actually tortured a mortal before. You will be the first person in history to be accorded such an honor. So I want you to _ beg _ for it.”

With his empty hand, he pulled the gag from her mouth and let it rest her neck. She immediately spit upon him, though not all of it found its mark. Orion roared in anger and brought the crop down across her face, drawing an open wound that leaked blood from her eyebrow to her jawline. 

Orion closed a hand around her throat. His eyes might have been fake, but there was no trouble detecting the pure loathing that was prominent in his features. Reyna spat out the blood that had infiltrated her mouth.  “Do your worst, Orion. It’ll take more than a few blows to affect me,” she choked, gasping for air. “Oh, don’t I know that. Don’t worry, I’ve been planning some revenge for a while. Now, if you’re not going to scream, I guess I’ll just put this back in.”

Reyna struggled against the gag being reinserted, but she was powerless. Orion circled her until he was facing her back. "Lights out," the giant whispered. He snapped his fingers, and the room was plunged into darkness. "Let's begin."

Reyna heard the distinct sound of the riding crop being raised once more, then it slashed through the shirt she had on and tore into her back.  Orion kept doing this, relishing in the way the whip ravaged her body, even laughing like a psychopath when Reyna choked out a cry of pain. Eventually, she was in so much agony that she couldn’t even whimper. 

Reyna was barely aware of anything other than the blood coursing down her back and Orion’s euphoric state, but she saw him reach into the cabinet and pull out what looked like a metal poker.  Her eyes widened as she saw the giant flick his hunting knife against the top of the poker, somehow igniting an image in fire. Dread pooled in Reyna’s stomach as she recognized the image on the head of the poker. It was a brand, yes, but it was the tracing of the constellation Orion. 

Reyna desperately yanked away, but her chains held her in place as Orion approached, a smug smirk plastered on his harsh features. The giant took his hunting knife from his belt and cut away the sleeve of her T-shirt, his calloused hands mercilessly gripping her arm. 

“Hold still,” he whispered, “because this might burn a little.” He plunged the red-hot poker onto her shoulder, filling the room with the smell of burning flesh.  Reyna screamed, but it was muffled by her gag. “Did you want to say something?”, Orion asked, feigning surprise. “Oh, all right.” He pulled the gag down, only to be met with Reyna throwing up. 

  
  


The giant looked at her in disgust. “There is one thing that will stay constant in all this time, Roman. There is no changing this. You will never be free of me because I’m a part of you. Because you  _ belong  _ to me."


	4. Somewhere Another Pretty Vein Just Dies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same warning as before. Possible triggers.

“Lights out.” As soon as Reyna heard that phrase, she knew her world was about to descend into agony. Orion said it every time. She had conditioned her body to ignore everything that came after those words, but it was hard.  Reyna braced herself for a blow but was met with a cold shower. She forced her good eye open, the other too swollen to see out of. Orion was holding a hose in one hand, and what she guessed was some sort of shocking agent in the other. She shut her eyes tight as Orion pressed what she realized was essentially a cattle prod into her ribs. 

Tears welled up in Reyna’s eyes. The giant shocked her again and again, dousing her with water to maximize the pain. Reyna noticed Orion had stopped and realized he was studying her. “There’s something missing here. Oh! I know! You see, torture is very appealing to watch, but in my  _ many  _ years, I’ve found that the audio is just as important as the video.” 

Orion removed her gag, flinging the bloody rag aside with distaste. Before she could get a word in, the giant resumed his latest method of torture. She whimpered and he drove the prod into her legs. “Come on,” he taunted. “Just let it all out. You know you want to.”

Reyna glared at him and tried to spit on him, but she could only conjure up a little bit of blood while streamed down her chin and onto her T-shirt, which was essentially rags. Orion sprayed her with water and resumed his torture, a colossal smile taking over his face as Reyna screamed.  “There we go,” the giant crooned. “You know, Hunter, you should really scream more often. It’s too quiet here, and your voice is so pretty. Much more than those of monsters, at least.” He fixed his hand on Reyna’s jaw as her whole body heaved, wishing for nothing more than to collapse, but the chains kept her upright. 

She tried to avoid Orion, but his grip was too strong. He turned her chin from side to side, inspecting her as if she were a piece of meat. “You know... I think that I’d like to hear more of that. How about a present for you, hmm?”  He rose and hummed as he walked to the rack on the far wall, pulling what looked like a collar. Reyna would’ve protested, but she was far too weak. Orion wrapped the band of leather around her bloodied neck, pressing a small button. Reyna felt nothing. 

“Hold on.” Orion frowned and fiddled with her unwelcome collar, which was digging into her neck painfully. “Wait a second. Aha! Here we go!” The giant pressed the button once more, and Reyna was shocked once more. She cried out in pain, electricity surging through her convulsing body. 

“Thank you. You will be quite the entertainment tonight. Until the next time.” Orion turned and walked out, the harsh glare of the lights returning with a snap of his fingers. All Reyna could do was whimper and sob as the agony wracked her body. How long would she endure this? Why must she endure this? Fate had never been kind. 


	5. I'm A Young Lover's Rage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had way too much fun writing the end of this chapter. Way too much fun.

Reyna coughed, desperately trying to clear her lungs of water, the rasping noise echoing uncomfortably in the bright yet empty space. Her chest burned with the intensity of greek fire, the pain determined to destroy her until nothing was left. It wasn’t the last time Orion would subject her to waterboarding, and Reyna acknowledged that fact with resentment. 

Reyna winced as her coughing fits had her neck dig into the shock collar Orion had adorned her with. Her stomach growled. She had been fed once or twice since she was held here, but Reyna didn’t know exactly how long she had been here. Reyna wondered if it was the Solstice yet. After the Solstice, it was Thalia’s birthday. The Hunters would’ve thrown an awesome bash for her, and even Artemis would’ve celebrated. Of course, Thalia wouldn’t physically age, but it was still good fun. 

Reyna’s wistful longings were interrupted as the door opened. She expected to see Orion back for her regular torture sessions. She was more surprised to see two cyclops lumber into the room. They appraised her hungrily, and Reyna thought to herself that being eaten by cyclops was one of the more uncool ways to go. Couldn’t Orion just finish her off himself?  The pair of monsters grunted to each other, talking in hushed tones that Reyna didn’t quite understand. Eventually, the one who seemed to lose the argument cautiously approached her, adjusting their relative position to her and undoing the chains that held her arms aloft. 

Reyna would’ve been happy at the fear they were clearly showing her, but she promptly face-planted, too weak to hold herself up. Her nose smashed into the concrete floor, causing it to bleed freshly. The cyclops closest to her made no attempt to help her, instead just binding her hands together behind her back. Her shock collar was removed, only to be replaced by a restraining fetter around her neck that had a leash. 

Reyna boiled with rage. She was a daughter of Bellona, a Roman, a Hunter, an immortal. She was  _ not  _ someone’s pet. She would not be restrained. She was about to launch an attack at the smaller cyclops without even her hands utilized but was pulled down to the ground as the rope that bound her was yanked. A blindfold was fitted over her eyes, and her bloody gag from the beginning was placed back into her mouth. 

Reyna was dragged out of the room for the first time in what felt like forever, though not into more suitable conditions. As she was hauled along what felt like corridors also with concrete floors, she heard the roar of a crowd.  The noise climbed until it was almost deafening. She was now resting on the ground, which was sandy. Reyna flinched as she heard Orion’s voice ringing out, and the roar of the supposed-crowd hushed. 

“My guests! You have been waiting for a challenger, have you not? A champion, who lives only for the arena?” Orion roared, and the cheering reached a frenzied pitch.  Reyna’s stomach was doing flips. “Shall we allow a new champion, someone to take the crown if they are worthy?” the giant continued. She still couldn’t see, and panic began to rise in her chest. The mob’s response was deafening. Never before, not even in the Legion, had Reyna heard something so unified. 

Her blindfold was ripped away. Her fetters were cut. The faces of thousands of monsters filler her vision. She was in a colosseum, blood-soaked sand serving as a battleground. She still felt sick and disoriented. Was she about to witness a fight? Be mauled by some brutish creatures.  Orion was smiling at her, but it never reached his eyes, There was something in that smile that chilled Reyna to her core. She had traveled with the goddess of the moon for almost a century but never had she felt such a coldness radiate from anyone, immortal or mortal. 

Orion strode to her, gesturing for the crowd of beasts to screech with all their might, Reyna’s ears started to bleed from the intensity of it. He leaned down and spoke in her ears. “This is my present to my legions, Roman. And do you know why? Because it’s Christmas, and you’ve failed.”

The giant motioned for the blood-thirsty spectators to mute themselves, Reyna was numb, not even reacting as Orion raised her bloodied, branded arm. She fought to steady herself, the anger in her blood slowly making way to fear. “My legions!” Orion boomed. “My gracious guests! May I present, to take on your champion, a contender! May I introduce,  _ Romanus Mortem! _ ”

The crows took up the chant, and Reyna’s blood ran cold. They were cheering for her, she realized. To them, to Orion, she was no longer a demigod. Provided she survived, she was now their new champion.  _ Romanus Mortem,  _ Reyna realized.  _ The Roman Death.  _


	6. Gonna Need A Spark To Ignite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am extremely tired while writing this, so don't expect it to be good, but again, I had way too much fun.

Reyna stood weakly in the arena, spear barely hanging in her broken fingers. She would’ve backed out of the fight if she could, but she was in no position to be doing anything of her accord. The spectators cheered for her, chanting her gladiator name, _Romanus Mortem._ They seemed to love it, it was more their battle cry than hers. 

Reyna wished they wouldn’t use it. It was an ugly name, but she supposed it was only fitting of her. During their time at Camp Jupiter, Jason might have been the powerful son of Jupiter, but she was the one who was feared. She had won the Gladiator Games every year, winning the nickname of _gloriam in arenam._ Glory in the Arena. Reyna had been told that she had been beautiful and terrible, an embodiment of her mother, Bellona. Reyna didn’t want to embrace the mindset of a champion, a conqueror, then, and she didn’t want to now. But this time, she had no choice. She must summon who she was 100 years ago, or she would die. 

She mustered her courage and her will together, to make a final stand if nothing else. The portcullis on the opposite side of the colosseum raised, and a surprisingly humanoid figure emerged, decorated in leather armor with a war helm covering his face. He paraded into the arena, wielding a heavy broadsword. Reyna was rooted to her spot in fear.

The gong sounded, and he took off running at her. Reyna realized she was about to be beheaded, and she quickly ducked as her foe swung at her neck. She came up and attempted to strike him from behind, but she was not capable of her usual feats after having been captive for almost a month. The opposing gladiator turned and caught her unprotected wrist, snapping it back with a sickening crunch. 

Reyna gasped in pain and fell back, barely holding onto her spear. Her opponent let loose one lethal blow after another, and Reyna was pushed back to the wall where a horde of cyclops resided in the seats. She lied there, helpless in the sand, waiting for death. The crowd began to boo and jeer at her. This would not do. She tried weakly to stand, supporting her weight against the rough stone of the arena walls. The roar of the monsters was deafening as her foe approached, savoring their imminent victory. 

Reyna studied the faces of the arena, finding no allies. Orion sat in a lavished box, sipping a drink coolly. A look of pure and pleasurable triumph was plastered on his face. Reyna searched past him, finding no one she could look to for solace in her dying moments. Her eyes fixed on a woman sitting among a herd of empousa. They didn’t seem to notice her, though she was dressed in red and purple robes. She sat proudly, one hand gripping a spear and the other a flaming torch. Reyna wondered if she was hallucinating, if it was merely a fever dream. She met the woman’s eyes and saw they were empty, filled with purple flames. 

While most would have turned away in fear, Reyna realized who it was. “Bellona,” she croaked out, her lips dry. The goddess didn’t exactly smile, but the corners of her mouth tugged upwards. Reyna was about to die in the presence of her mother. No. She would not. She would not allow her one experience with her mother to be a funeral. Reyna would not let Bellona see her daughter in a grave of sand and sweat, tears, dust and blood. 

Reyna focused on her opponent, who was advancing slowly, basking in his own bravado and the hollers from the spectators. She gripped her spear and began to tremble, looking him right in the eyes, nodding. Her opponent straightened and raised his gloved hand in the traditional warrior’s salute, acknowledging her effort. But that had been his fatal mistake. As he raised his broadsword for the killing blow, he had assumed she trembled from fear. It was strength. Power burst forth with such terrible pride and rage, threatening to consume everything. Reyna’s spear impaled him, cleaving through his armor. The match was over in an instant. 

_“Romanus Mortem! Romanus Mortem!”_ The chant echoed around the arena, the beat of the drum pulsing in Reyna’s ears. Her heart beat furiously. Coins and flowers rained into the arena, but she ignored them all. Reyna looked up, searching for her mother, but Bellona had disappeared. A flaming torch had been mounted in her seat, burning with an amethyst flame. Reyna’s eyes met Orion. His smug look was gone, replaced with grim satisfaction. She turned away. 

Reyna approached the body of the fallen gladiator, still shaking. She knelt and raised his forearm. A cold fist closed around her heart as she saw a tattoo mirroring hers. A crossed sword and torch, with 5 lines below, flanked by S.P.Q.R. Reyna had just slain another family member, no doubt a cruel joke upon Orion’s part. 

Reyna stood up and walked to the center of the arena, trailing crimson along the fine sand. She planted her spear into the ground, raising her wounded hand for silence. Before turning back into the tunnel, she studied every being in the colosseum before her eyes rested upon the hunter giant. She addressed the crowd, before striding back into the challenger’s tunnel. 

“Be warned. A Roman Death has come to claim you.” For a moment, the arena was silent. Finally, the monsters let out a great appreciative roar.

_This Champion was above Gold And Glory_

_The Roman Death lived only for the Arena_

_Was She not a worthy Champion?_


	7. I Just Got To Get You Out Of The Cage

Reyna was seething with anger. To be forced to fight for sport was despicable, but she expected no better of monsters. But to be forced to kill her own sibling? While her mother was watching? She had stalked out the arena as the crowd had proclaimed her name. Nobody bothered to stop her, acting as if she had been wreathed amethyst flames of her own. 

Reyna quickly realized she had no idea where she was going as she turned into a random corridor. She punched the wall in frustration, sending jolts of pain through her already injured hand. Reyna tried desperately to fight back her tears. She had made it this long. In the end, she failed, turning her spine to the wall and sliding down, painting a trail of red from her freely bleeding back. 

She pulled her knees into her chest and rested her head upon them. Reyna just wanted it to be over. She silently sobbed for gods-know how long, her tears running rivers through the grime and blood-spattered landscapes of her cheeks. Reyna didn’t even protest as the cyclops from earlier approached her warily, restraining her once more before dragging her off to her personal hell. Her eyes closed against their will, and she slowly faded into unconsciousness. 

Reyna awoke groggily, finding she was in the same cell as before, still kneeling with her arms chained above her. She struggled to remember the latest things that happened to her. Reyna was interrupted as the door opened. She could barely make out the new entry through the bright light, but whoever it was was much smaller than either Orion or the cyclops. A teenage girl shuffled into view, looking at Reyna nervously. Reyna’s head swam with questions. “Who...” Her voice was dry, and she struggled with words. Her fire from the arena was extinguished, dampened by the weight of everything that rested upon her shoulders. 

The girl moved in closer. “My name is Laurel,” she said hesitantly. “I’m a demigod, I saw your fight in the arena. You were so dazzling and bright, aflame. Your moves were like poetry. You were practically a goddess, greater than everybody in there.” Laurel complimented. 

Reyna studied her with a tired eye. “Did you come here to gawk at me then?” she growled. Laurel took a step back. “No! No. Orion sent me here. As a part of your reward for winning. I’m a daughter of Nemesis, by the way.” 

Reyna didn’t say anything. She wondered what the girl meant by reward. Laurel continued. “Orion told me that you could have him do to me whatever you want. If you want, I can take your place,” she offered, though she looked scared. “Absolutely not,” Reyna heaved. “This is my burden to bear. Come here, though, and I’ll tell you what you can do.”

Laurel walked over to her and knelt so their eyes were level. The teen pulled out a white cloth from her pocket and began to wipe the blood off of Reyna’s forehead and out of her eyes. “Don’t.” Reyna looked at Laurel and whispered her instructions. Laurel studied her wearily and asked if she was sure.  Reyna weakly nodded. She pointed her head to the weapons on the other side of the room. Laurel got up and grabbed the smallest knife she could find, a small bronze dagger about 6 inches long. She walked back over to Reyna. “Cut off a piece of my shirt,” she croaked. “A bloody piece.” That was easy, as her formerly grey T-shirt was now stained red. 

Laurel tore one of the pieces from near her stomach, practically completely exposing Reyna’s midriff. She tucked the piece of cloth into her jeans, and strapped the dagger to her own midriff, keeping it well hidden under her shirt. “Go quickly,” Reyna warned. “Find them and explain everything. Travel only by day, and at night make sure to obscure your scent. Roll in creeks, smear mud and berries, whatever you can do.”

The girl nodded and walked to the doorway. Before she exited though, Reyna interrupted her. “Laurel?” She turned to face her, an expression of confusion on her face. “You know what your namesake means, right? The Laurel is a symbol of victory. Good luck.” Laurel’s face broke out into a soft grin. 

“We’ll be back,” Laurel promised. “I swear it on the River Styx.”


	8. You're The Antidote To Everything Except For Me

Laurel had barely left Reyna alone with her thoughts when Orion barged in, mechanical eyes alight with rage. The lights went out as the giant commanded, and Reyna heard the familiar sound of a whip rising. Not again. The lash tore into her, and she cried out in pain. She heard Orion let loose a guttural laugh, and it chilled her. 

“I know you’re responsible for the daughter of Nemesis leaving,” Orion growled in between lash strokes. Though it was dark, Reyna smirked despite the agony she was in, knowing Orion’s eyes would be able to pick it up. “It’s a good effort, Roman, but futile. I will hunt her. I will find her.”

Reyna knew she had to play it off. She gave her best effort at a laugh, a rasping sound that wracked her body with hurt. Nonetheless, it unsettled the giant. “Oh, Orion” she wheezed. She looked up, tear-filled obsidian eyes meeting blood-spattered mechanical ones. “Haven’t you heard? A Roman Death will be coming to claim you someday. Maybe not today, but you will live the rest of your life in fear. I will come for you one day. I might die, but I will wait in the bowels of Tartarus. You have been warned.”

Orion bellowed with rage and sent the steel tip of his hunting boot into Reyna’s ribs, and she heard a sickening crunch. Reyna struggled to breathe. “A Roman Death?” he taunted. An even colder, crueler smile filled his face. “I may not be able to find the daughter of Nemesis right now, but I can always do some hunting practice on you.”

His crimson-dipped hand closed round Reyna’s throat, depriving her of oxygen. He snapped his fingers with his other hand and the chains that held her upright unclasped. The giant squeezed tighter, sending Reyna into a hallucinatory state. She vaguely remembered being dragged out of her torture chamber and into the outdoors for the first time in what felt like forever. 

Orion threw her out onto the snow, her body bleeding freely. Reyna wondered if this was to be her death. His quiver appeared slung over his shoulder, and a bow materialized in his hands. Seeing the bow was like a slap in the face from Jupiter. It was the reason she was here in the first place, and it might very well be the reason for her death.

“Oh, don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you yet, there’s still some fun to be had. Besides, a new year, a new me! Now, I’m going to give you a day for a head start. I promise I will find you. Off you go then,” Orion prompted. 

Reyna didn’t move. He might as well kill her. Laurel had probably failed. The cavalry wasn’t coming. Her dying wish, a prayer to Bellona, was that Laurel survived. She had spirit. She had been willing to take Reyna’s place. “Up,” the giant commanded, roughly grabbing her and hauling her up so fast Reyna saw stars. 

“Now go.” Reyna wearily walked into the forest, wishing for nothing more than to be put out of her misery. She was freezing, her once fitting shirt now hanging off of her in loose threads, ribs and hips more prominent. Her jeans were cut off midthigh, tattered beyond belief. She was trailing blood, a dead giveaway, but she knew that the heavily falling snow would help cover it if only a little.  Reyna didn’t know how long she made it before she collapsed. If she had to bet, she wouldn’t say past a few hours, but there was no way to be sure. She lied there in a frozen grave, the sting of the cold soothing the untreated and gaping wounds on her back and sides. Reyna weakly heaped snow upon her chest, waiting for Orion. Waiting for death. She heard footsteps frantically running toward her in the snow. 

“Quick, get her! She’s almost gone!” a voice urgently said. Reyna wondered why Orion was saying that. She concluded it must be another cruel trick to play with her mind as she was picked up by a pair of strong arms. Reyna realized death would be faster if she didn’t struggle. She clung to the person’s jacket weakly, her frail, bruised, battered, and bloody form being held aloft. 

As the snow kissed her skin, Reyna wondered if it wasn’t Orion, if some type of angel had come to carry her home.


	9. I've Got The Scars From Tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a very angsty chapter (highkey just 1.4k words of pure angst) but I had a fun time writing it (no I did not). It explains a lot about what happened. The next two chapters will be shorter, or I will just do one more medium length chapter.

Warm light and soft touches flooded Reyna’s senses. She wondered if she was back in Orion’s dungeons if he had hunted her down after all. No, she told herself. Whoever was doing this was doing so with the care of a mother. Her one eye was still swollen shut from the lash marks of her repeated tortured sessions. Reyna cracked one eye open and met two other pairs of eyes, one dazzlingly blue, the other resembling a kaleidoscope. “Oh, thank the  _ gods _ ,” the owner of the blue eyes said, collapsing into a chair beside Reyna.  _ Thalia,  _ Reyna realized. Her companion would’ve been Piper then. “Come on Thalia, there’s still work that needs to be done.”

Thalia nodded and stood again, wiping a damp cloth across Reyna’s forehead. When she pulled it away, it was stained with red and black matter. “Sorry I missed your birthday and Christmas,” Reyna groaned out. The duo stared at her. “Oh my gods, I forgot how insufferable you were.”

Reyna grinned and tried to sit up, but immediately began to fall back. Piper quickly caught her and steadied her in a sitting position. Piper’s hand gripped her shoulder, and Reyna thought to herself how comforting it was. Reyna looked around, and recognized the Hunter’s largest tent; usually used for food purposes or gatherings. Right now it looked like someone had died. 

Reyna was on top of a table in the center of the tent. All around her were bloody rags. She looked down and registered they were from her. She wasn’t wearing a shirt or any pants, but she was plastered in bandages. Her skin was marked with galaxies, swirling constellations of blue and purple and black bruises, dashed with crimson streaks of blood. 

How could this have happened?  _ Orion _ , her subconscious prodded her. She could  _ hear  _ his voice taunting her, asking her to scream a little louder because it was just  _ so beautiful _ . Reyna tried with all her might to avoid looking at her shoulder, but she failed. 

Her good eye trailed down to her collarbone, then to the side. She saw the constellation of Orion permanently branded on her as if she were some animal that belonged to him. She mentally slapped herself. Of course she was branded. She  _ did  _ belong to him, and she always would, on some level. Reyna turned to the side and promptly vomited. 

“Whoa there,” Thalia’s voice soothed, blue eyes studying her with concern. “Reyna...I know that your body is, erm, a little bit messed up. But how is your mind?” Reyna gaped at her, not knowing what to say. Piper saved her. “Hey Thalia, could I talk to you for a second? Outside?” Thalia nodded and went outside. “Be back in a minute, Rey. Why don’t you lie down for a second?”

Reyna smiled weakly and fell onto her back. Ow. She wondered if the two had worked on treating her back injuries. She had taken probably the most damage there. She attempted to move her wrist, only to be restricted by a splint. Oh yeah. The arena. She shifted and moved her other wrist, feeling along her back. Her fingers were moistened and red when they came back. 

Thalia and Piper had definitely missed her back when treating her wounds. It was annoying, but it was more of a throbbing pain and not an active one. The bickering that had been going on between the two came to a hushed finale, and they shuffled back into the tent.  It was an awkward staring contest between the duo and her. Piper broke the tension. “So, Reyna. Are you feeling all patched up?” Reyna smiled and attempted to roll over on her side so Thalia and Piper could see her back. She heard a sharp intake of breath as Piper rummaged around the tent, looking for clean supplies. Thalia gently rolled her over all the way so that her stomach rested against the wooden table face. 

“Reyna,” Thalia chided her. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?” She turned her head to face Thalia as gentle hands wiped away layers of blood. “I didn’t want to burden you guys. I’m sure you had your hands full with everything already.”

“How could you say that? My best friend of over a century is practically a living corpse, and you ‘don’t want to burden anybody?’ Do you even know what it was like for us?” Thalia sucked in a stuttering breath as she began to care for her friend. 

“Let me paint you a picture. My best friend is sent off to do a crazy quest on her own, stealing something from someone whose name she won’t even mention because she has crazy P.T.S.D from him almost killing her a century ago.”

  
  


“Moving on. I’m left waiting for a whole month, with absolutely no update. My best friend misses her deadline for the quest. Then my birthday. Then Christmas. We’re starting to suspect the worst, that you were killed in some horrible way. Oh, wait! We receive a video. It’s of you. Wait, no it’s not. It’s a video of a bloody, beaten, starving girl with tattered clothes attempting to hide a whole body full of trauma,” Thalia snapped. 

“The girl is forced to fight against her will, and she’s about to die. She’s trembling, and there’s a wild look in her eyes. Then you see the look harden, petrifying until there’s nothing even  _ remotely _ mortal left. Rey...” Thalia’s voice broke off. “Your eyes, they were like...They were on fire. They began to glow purple, and when you saw the Bellona tattoo, I thought you were going to snap. As you walked out of the arena, the crowd was cheering not for you, but for someone else. A gladiator. A monster. Like one of them.  _ Romanus Mortem _ , they chanted. You haven’t been associated with New Rome for a century, and yet the name  _ fit  _ you so well.”

“Thalia,” Reyna choked out. Both of their eyes were wet with tears, and Piper was slumped in one of the chairs, clearly exhausted from reviving Reyna. Her back stung, but at least she wasn’t freely bleeding. Her Lieutenant shook her head. “Don’t. Not yet.”

“A few days later, Laurel stumbled into camp, holding a dagger and a blood-soaked piece of cloth. We learn about everything. How the cloth is yours, and so is the blood. Artemis turned ashen grey and had Laurel meet with her privately. The next morning, we’re all getting ready to move out. Laurel leads us for hours, taking us to this horrifying fortress.”

“Artemis took Laurel and the two go off, Artemis tracking Orion. She took Laurel because she was a daughter of Nemesis, and the previous night at the campfire the goddess had sworn for revenge against Orion. Piper and I led the other Hunters and we stormed the fortress, searching for you for hours. Nothing.”

“Eventually the dogs picked up your scent, and we all spread out to look for you. Tyche must have been looking out for us because Piper and I found you maybe after an hour searching.” Thalia sobbed to herself, and Reyna grasped weakly for her hand. “You were  _ so broken _ , Reyna. We thought you were dead. Do you think you look bad now? You were so bloodied. We thought you were dead, and I cradled you in my arms, desperately searching for a heartbeat.”

“Thank the gods you were alive. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t. I carried you back to camp, and while it took hours, everything seemed like a blur. You were shivering, and you wouldn’t accept any kind of covering, other than being tucked close against me. And now here we are, 3 days later.”

The two stared at each other, pleading looks in their eyes. “Reyna, you were gone. For 3 days. Yesterday Artemis and Laurel came into camp, solemnly announcing Orion was dead. The end. And from there, you know everything.”

“Thalia...I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me.” Thalia bit her lip and nodded her head. “You must be starving,” Thalia realized. “Let’s get you outside and get you some food as well. One of the younger girls made nachos.” She began to lift Reyna up and help her limp out of the tent when Reyna realized. 

“Thalia?” Reyna caught her attention. Thalia looked at her, eyebrows raised in concern. “I need clothes.” 


	10. What You Did In The Dark

As Reyna walked through camp supported by Thalia (nevermind, Thalia was practically carrying her), she noticed several familiar faces. Everyone was gradually migrating to the center of camp, around 25 girls all clad in silver. The smell of food wafted over to Reyna, making her stomach growl. “You must be hungry,” Thalia joked, but only concern was present in her eyes. 

“Yeah, I didn’t get to eat much in the past month. I was fed 3 times? Maybe 4? I don’t really know, I never thought about it much.” The Lieutenant frowned at her and rubbed small circles on Reyna’s back. Thalia pulled her in close and jokingly kissed her forehead, though the affection made Reyna warm inside. How lucky she was. 

The last thing Reyna saw before she was hugged (read: tackled) so hard she lost her balance and fell to the ground with a pained grunt. A smile broke out on her face when she saw dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and an infectious grin belonging to a teenage girl looming over her. “Laurel!” Reyna exclaimed. “How are you doing?” 

“How am _I_ doing? OK, then, if that’s how you want to play it. Well, I’m officially becoming a Hunter tonight. And you _will_ be there, so don’t you dare try and get out of it.”

Reyna winked at Thalia, but she groaned again when Laurel grabbed her wrist a little too tightly, trying to help her up. “Watch it, Laurel!” Thalia hissed. “Chill, Thals,” Reyna chuckled. “Yeah, _Thals_ , chill.” Thalia glared at the younger girl. “It’s Lieutenant. Also, shouldn’t you be getting ready?”

Laurel grinned and bounded off towards where some of the older Hunters were chatting around the fire with plates of nachos in their hands. “It must be hard being a parent,” Reyna said with a fake look of sympathy. “Hey, you’re in this with me. Come on, get up. We have important things waiting for us, like dinner.”

“I don’t know if I can get up all by myself. I think I need someone strong to help carry me...” Thalia rolled her eyes, but she was already crouching down to lift Reyna up in her arms when Piper walked over. She gave Reyna’s hand a squeeze. “How’re you doing, Rey?” she asked with kindness in her voice. 

“Not too bad. Shall we?” The Hunters were beginning to sit around the fire as Artemis walked through their midst. “Attention, Hunters. Grab some food and make yourselves at ease. We have a couple of announcements. First off, thanks to Evelyn, who prepared these delicious nachos. Second, I am extremely pleased to announce that Laurel, daughter of Nemesis, will be joining the Hunt tonight. Without her and her bravery, we would not have Reyna Ramirez-Arellano back with us.”

Reyna noted that as the girls erupted in cheers, Thalia was among the loudest. Laurel blushed and rose, approaching Artemis and sitting in the center of the ragged circle around the campfire. Reyna watched with pride as Laurel recited the words that everyone knew by heart. As she finished, a comfortable silence settled over the group, and Reyna basked in the unspoken love present. 

Artemis smiled softly at Reyna as everyone began to depart, retiring to their own tents for the night. She returned the goddess’s gaze, the corners of her mouth tugging upwards. Reyna rose and nodded in Artemis’s direction subtly before turning and retreating into the tent that she and Thalia shared. 

She noticed out of the corner of her eye Thalia and Artemis talking to each other, probably about her, but she didn’t really care. Reyna sat down on the ground and faced the rear of the tent, her back facing the front flaps. The lamp that was standard for each of the tents was turned off, leaving her face-to-face with darkness. Reyna smiled bitterly to herself, thinking how it was just like old times. 

She looked around, taking in the life she had missed. Reyna carefully lay down on her back, wincing as a pebble lodged in the ground dug into her back. She was almost asleep, the first real sleep in over a month, when she heard the words. “Lights out!” barked one of the older girls. 

No. No. Nonononono. Her breathing quickened as she curled in on herself. Tears wet her eyes, and the brand on her shoulder felt like it was burning. It was just so _dark_ , so _lonely._ Reyna was freezing, she could feel the knife tracing along her arms, the water dousing her, the lash upon her back, the shocks in her ribs, the burns on her hands and legs. She heard rapid footsteps approach the tent and she tried her best to quiet her shuddering sobs. 

The tent flaps burst open as Thalia’s eyes roamed around the small dark space, finally falling upon Reyna’s frail and shivering form. “Reyna,” she gasped. Reyna felt soft hands rolling her onto her back, wiping tears away from her cheeks, grasping her shaking hands in her own. 

“Reyna. You’re OK. I’m not gonna hurt you. Nobody is. We love you. That will _never_ change. You’ve lived for over a hundred years, and in your time with us, we’ve _never_ abandoned you. We love you, OK?” Thalia pressed Reyna’s body against her, and all Reyna could think about was how warm she was. It was the middle of January in the north, and Reyna felt like she was in a sauna. Thalia’s embrace was so calming and Reyna allowed herself to relax, melting into Thalia’s sensitive yet strong touch. 

“I know you still haven’t eaten dinner. I know you might not feel comfortable eating in front of everyone else, but I thought we could have a little dinner party of our own.” Reyna turned over and faced her quizzically, her eyes red from crying. “How do you have a party with only two people?” Thalia grinned and thumbed a teardrop from Reyna’s cheek. “Who said we were only having two people?” she whispered playfully. 

At that moment, the flaps of their tent opened and Piper and Laurel paraded in, bearing platters of nachos. Thalia smiled. “I know you missed it, but we had a New Year’s party. We decided to recreate it, willing that you’re up for such a quest.”

She plucked a nacho from the plate as Laurel and Piper sat down, feeding it to Reyna. Reyna savored it, thinking about how lucky she was. “Come here, you guys." Laurel eagerly jumped on the offer, snuggling herself under Reyna’s arm as Piper gently laid her down and the four embraced each other messily, a tangle of arms, legs, and nachos. She closed her eyes and inhaled the love as she drifted off to sleep, held by people who would also hold the sky for her. 

Reyna opened her eyes sleepily, wincing as sunlight filled her view. She was at the bottom of a heap of sleepy Hunters. In the tranquil euphoria, Reyna had come to recognize something. She wasn’t completely healed. She wasn’t completely sure she would ever be. But they had a broken century behind them and in front of them, a clear eternity.


End file.
